The Perfect Gift
by AnastaziaDanielle
Summary: Troy tries to find the perfect Christmas gift for Gabriella. Pure fluff! One-shot


Disclaimer: I don't own High School Musical. It belongs to Disney.

The Perfect Gift

_3 Weeks Before Christmas_

Troy Bolton looked down at the tiny brunette beside him. Dark ringlets cascaded around her cherubic face and her chocolate brown eyes gazed up at him trustingly. Her small hand was nestled safely in his larger one. She skipped next to him happily as they made their way through the crowded shopping mall.

"Daddy, can I help pick Mommy's present?" she chirped hopefully.

"Of course you can," he grinned at her, loving the smile that blossomed across his daughter's face.

The mall was crowded with Christmas shoppers scurrying from one store to the next. Tiny Nora was pressed into her father's leg by an older woman wielding a huge red Macy's shopping bag.

Without hesitating, Troy hefted his three-year-old onto his hip and veered into the jewelry store. "Now, let's see what we can find for Mommy."

"Mommy needs somefin' pretty," Nora Bolton announced, her tiny row of white teeth flashing as she smiled at her father.

Troy carried her over to the nearest jewelry counter and walked slowly as his eyes scanned the items beneath the glass. He wanted to find the perfect gift for Gabriella, one that would convey to her just how much he loved her when his words couldn't even begin to express it.

His gaze snagged on a silver heart with an embossed pattern around its edges. In the center lay an array of three different colored stones. An idea began to form in his mind.

"Look at this heart, Nora," he told the little girl as he tapped the glass and pointed toward the silver charm. "We might get that for Mommy."

"Pretty," she replied, leaning forward to get a better look.

"How can I help you, sir?" a store employee asked as he approached Troy and his daughter.

"Yes, could you tell me if it's possible to order this heart pendant with different stones?" Troy asked hopefully. Nora snuggled against him and rested her head on his shoulder sleepily. Troy pressed a kiss to her cheek and waited for the man's answer.

Unlocking the case, the jeweler read the tag attached to the heart and nodded. "Yes sir, we can order it with the stones of your choice."

Troy gazed at the price tag and swallowed hard. It was more than he had planned on spending, and he still needed to purchase a chain for it, but the gift was perfect for Gabriella. "I'll take it," he announced with a smile.

Troy left the store a short while later with a slumbering Nora on his hip and the receipt for the necklace in his pocket. He had chosen three stones-Nora's birthstone, his own birthstone, and that of their unborn son due next week. A smile curved his lips when he thought of the look that would be on Gabriella's face when she first saw her gift.

_Christmas Morning_

Troy leaned against the headboard of their bed and snuggled his wife against his side. In her arms, she held their two-week-old son, Nathan. The tiny infant nursed hungrily at her breast, his little fist curled against his cheek as he made little sucking noises.

He pressed a kiss to Gabriella's temple. "I love you so much," he murmured against her skin.

She leaned back a little so that she could look up at him. "I love you, too, Troy," she answered with a soft smile.

"Mommy, Daddy, it's Christ'is!" Nora announced as she bounded into their bedroom in her red and green Christmas pajamas and threw herself onto the bed.

Troy caught her and kissed her cheek. "When Mommy finishes feeding Nathan we'll go see what Santa left you and your brother."

Nora's eyes traveled over to her little brother and she pursed her lips impatiently. Wriggling in Troy's lap, she nearly threw lunged off of the bed when Gabriella raised the baby to her shoulder to burp him.

Troy grabbed the camera from the nightstand where he had placed it the night before and took Nora's hand.

"Come on, Mommy!" the little girl called impatiently as she hopped back and forth from one foot to the other.

Gabriella laughed and adjusted her pajama top. "We're coming."

Nora squealed in delight at the sight of her gifts from Santa when they reached the Christmas tree in the living room while Nathan snoozed away in his mother's arms. It didn't take Nora long to examine each an every toy and then beg her parents to open all of them. Troy took his son from Gabriella and took him back to his nursery while Gabriella stretched out on the floor next to her daughter and helped her open a boxed doll.

A short time later, Nora dropped off to sleep with her face resting on her new doll from Santa. Troy took his wife's hand and pulled her to her feet. "Come sit with me," he urged.

Dropping carefully onto the couch, he pulled Gabriella into his lap and produced a small, brightly wrapped box from beneath the couch cushions.

Gabriella took it carefully into her hands and smiled at her husband before leaning forward to gently touch her lips to his.

He brought his hand up to cup her cheek. "Open it," he urged.

Cuddling back against him, Gabriella slipped a finger beneath the edge of a seam in the wrapping paper and gently removed it from the little black box. She glanced up at Troy quickly before looking back down at the small gift in her hands.

Gabriella opened the box and when she saw the shiny pendant inside, her breath caught in her throat. "Troy, it's beautiful."

"See the birthstones?" he asked, pointing with one finger. "Mine, Nora's, and Nathan's."

Tears shone in Gabriella's eyes as she nodded. "Yes, I love it. Now I can keep all three of you close to my heart," she told him with a watery smile. "Will you put it on me?"

Troy took the necklace she held out to him and carefully fastened it around her neck. "It looks beautiful on you," he assured her. "I love you so much that I can't begin to put it into words," he explained. "I wanted a gift that would help me show you how much I love you."

"Troy, you show me every day. Your love is in your eyes every time you look at me, every time you kiss me, even in the way you look at our children." Gabriella stroked his cheek gently. "You never have to worry that I don't know how much you love me," she explained gently.

Leaning forward, she captured his lips in a tender kiss. "I love you," she whispered against their softness before she pulled away and rested her head against his shoulder.

Troy held her tightly and breathed in the scent of her, vanilla lotion, raspberry shampoo, and something else uniquely Gabriella. He was glad she liked the necklace; he had known she would.

"Troy?" she murmured drowsily from her position against his shoulder.

"Hmm?" he asked as his fingers played in the dark locks of hair that tumbled down her back.

"The necklace wasn't the perfect gift, but I love it," she said softly.

Troy's heart plummeted and he pulled back a bit. "It wasn't the perfect gift," he repeated, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice.

Gabriella wound her arms around his neck and shook her head. "No, although it is an amazing gift. My perfect gifts are you and our children. As long as you are here with me, I don't need anything else."

Troy felt his shoulders relax at her words. "You are my world," he told her. "I love you." He peppered tiny kisses across his wife's face before finding her lips and kissing them tenderly.

"And you are my perfect gift," he told her, as he pulled back. "My amazing perfect gift. Merry Christmas." He nuzzled her nose with his.

"Merry Christmas, Troy," she responded with a smile as she captured his lips in another sweet kiss.

The End

Merry Christmas!  
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11


End file.
